iVillage.com: What My Mom Taught Me: Celebrities Dish!

Kathy Wakile

"My mom taught me so many things. But I’d have to say the best thing she taught me is: How to be a good mother is to be a good listener. And how to be a good wife is to be a good listener," says "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Kathy Wakile (pictured with mom Marie Pierri in 2011). "And just be there for your family. It was never a spoken word, just through example. She was just always there for us and still is. She just gives you her whole heart, so I’ve had a great teacher."

"My mom is a hard worker," says Jennifer Garner (pictured with mom Pat Garner in 2009). "She puts her head down and she gets it done. And she finds a way to have fun. She always says, 'Happiness is your own responsibility.' That's probably what I quote from her and live by the most. If you have a tough road in front of you, it's your responsibility to make it as joyful for yourself as you possibly can."

Jessica: Well, she's here with me. Mom, what's the best advice you ever gave me? Tina: Just be yourself. Jessica: Be myself...and mix and match. Tina: Mix and match? Oh, fashion advice? Jessica: I'm taking it to fashion! But, as far as being a woman, making the decision for myself and not allowing other people's judgments to weigh in on it.

"My mother taught me to be nice to everybody," says Jason Segel. "And she said something before I left home. She said, 'I want you to always remember that the person you are in this world is a reflection of the job I did as a mother.'"

"My mom taught me so many things. But I’d have to say the best thing she taught me is: How to be a good mother is to be a good listener. And how to be a good wife is to be a good listener," says "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Kathy Wakile (pictured with mom Marie Pierri in 2011). "And just be there for your family. It was never a spoken word, just through example. She was just always there for us and still is. She just gives you her whole heart, so I’ve had a great teacher."

"My mum always said to me, 'Make sure you surround yourself with kind and generous people. They might be exciting, or you might want to be with the bad boy or whatever -- but make sure they're kind.'" says "The Five-Year Engagement" star Emily Blunt. "And she also said, 'If you really want something badly enough, the whole universe will work with you to get it. Just really put it out there.'"